Dehradun: The decadal Nanda Devi Biomonitoring Expedition 2026 was flagged off by Uttarakhand forest minister Subodh Uniyal on Saturday in Chamoli. The expedition will cover an 86 km trail within the Nanda Devi National Park, a core zone of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, over 22 days, traversing altitudes varying from 2,000 to 4,500 meters.
Composition of the Expedition Team
Forest department authorities confirmed that a 32-member core team has embarked on the expedition. The team comprises forest officials, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, three State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, and eight Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) members. They are supported by approximately 50 porters and guides.
Historical Context and Objectives
Nanda Devi National Park, one of the core zones of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, was closed to human activity in 1983 following environmental degradation caused by excessive anthropogenic pressure from mountaineering expeditions. To monitor the ecological impact of this closure, a decadal scientific review of the flora and fauna is conducted. Previous reviews were carried out in 1993, 2003, and 2015.
Minister Uniyal remarked that the expedition would not only scientifically assess the current status of wildlife, flora, and the ecosystem in the high-altitude Himalayan areas but also provide a foundation for future conservation strategies. He emphasized that comprehensive scientific studies in the region would play a crucial role in advancing the understanding of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem resilience, and the broader impacts of climate change on the fragile high-altitude Himalayan environment.
Abhimanyu Singh, DFO of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, told TOI, “The Nanda Devi National Park landscape has remained one of the longest-standing restricted 'no-go' zones in the Himalayas. The latest scientific data on this landscape’s flora and fauna will enable policymakers and scientists to evaluate the effects of minimal human interference on glacier dynamics, wildlife populations, and endemic species inhabiting this fragile ecosystem.”
The expedition is expected to provide critical insights into the health of one of the most pristine and least disturbed ecosystems in the Himalayas. The data collected will inform future conservation policies and help assess the long-term impacts of climate change on high-altitude environments. The team is equipped with advanced scientific instruments and will document various parameters including vegetation cover, wildlife sightings, and glacial changes along the route.
About the Author: Shivani Azad is a TOI journalist who covers Environment, Wildlife, Medical and Social subjects.
